Dental clinics in Pakistan have rapidly increased over the last few years and now nearly match the number of general medical clinics. A large number of these clinics are neither registered with the provincial healthcare commissions nor licensed by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).
Many individuals with only a diploma or degree in dentistry start their own clinics without sufficient experience. This lack of oversight poses serious risks to public dental health.
On the other hand, both dental surgeons and dental technicians often charge excessively for the most basic of procedures, such as dental fillings, scaling, extractions and denture fittings. They set their own professional fee without standardised guidelines or fear of regulatory checks.
For instance, a dentist charges Rs20,000 to Rs100,000 for fitting a single upper or lower denture, while the actual laboratory cost typically ranges between Rs5,000 and Rs15,000 for both simple and mono-plast types.
The PMDC, all provincial healthcare commissions, consumer courts and any other regulatory body in the country must ensure that dental clinics are properly licensed and registered. They must also verify that those running these clinics are actually qualified and competent, and that the fee being charged is fair and transparent.
It is also of critical importance to enforce the law prohibiting dental technicians from operating clinics independently without professional oversight. If patients are dissatisfied with charges or the quality of treatment, they should approach the relevant provincial healthcare commission or consumer court to file a complaint.
MUHSIN KHAN
BANNU
